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Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.

Fender was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the top album of the past year.

The musician has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, major artists such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money helped locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.

Some locations received financial assistance in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and fans.

"The idea that funds from concerts in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.

He is among several artists to give his honor winnings to worthy causes.

When the band earned the prize in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker announced that the band would contribute their cash to the non-profit the charity.

That year, artist the artist shared her bounty across a few charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.

Previously, the band donated their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their band, in addition to other local music groups.

Additionally the 1994 recipients they contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched the lives of others."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued several grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the properties.